>/. 


NATURAL 
RESOURCES 


ILLINOIS  STATE 

LABORATORY 
OF  NATURAL  HISTORY    | 


LIBRARY 


XI  B  RAR.Y 

OF   THL 

UN  IVLR.SITY 
OF    ILLINOIS 

NATURAL  HISTORY  SURVE' 

5&O.5 
FB 

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• 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM. 

PUBLICATION  118. 
BOTANICAL  SERIES.  VOL.  II,  No.  5. 


FLORA 

OF  THE 

SAND     KEYS 

OF 

FLORIDA 


BY 


CHARLES  FREDERICK  MILLSPAUGH, 
Curator,  Department  of  Botany. 


CHICAGO,  U.  S.  A. 

February,   1907. 

a.    Mar.    11,    1907. 


FLORA  OF  THE  SAND   KEYS   OF   FLORIDA 

CHARLES  F.  MILLSPAUGH 


Mr.  O.  E.  Lansing,  Jr.,  having  been  commissioned  by  the  Museum 
to  make  a  botanical  examination  of  all  those  islets  lying  to  the  west- 
ward of  Key  West,  Florida,  arrived  at  the  City  of  Key  West  on  the 
twenty-seventh  of  February,  1904,  and,  while  making  arrangements 
there  for  his  work  on  the  sand  keys,  collected  a  series  of  the  plants  of 
the  island.  Later  he  succeeded  in  commissioning  a  small  sloop,  in 
which  he  visited  Marquesas  "A"  and  "C"  on  March  roth;  "B" 
and  "D"  on  March  lith;  "E,"  "F,"  "G,"  "H,"  "I,"on  March 
1 2th;  Boca  Grande,  Ballast  and  Man  Keys  on  March  i3th;  Key  C, 
Woman  Key,  Key  B,  Archer's  Key,  and  the  small  keys  north  and 
west  of  Woman  Key  on  the  i4th;  and  Mule,  Cottrell,  Mullet  and  East 
and  West  Crawfish  Keys  on  the  isth.  Returning  to  Key  West,  and 
gaining  passage  on  the  U.  S.  Lighthouse  Tender,  he  reached  Fort 
Jefferson,  in  the  Tortugas.  From  this  garrison,  as  a  base,  he  worked 
Bird  and  Loggerhead  Keys  on  March  ipth;  Sand  (or  Hospital)  and 
East  Keys  on  the  2ist;  and  concluded  his  work  in  an  investigation  of 
Garden  Key  on  the  22d. 

Mr.  Lansing  faithfully  carried  out  his  instructions,  making  a 
thorough  investigation  of  each  islet,  during  which  he  collected  every 
species  he  saw  on  each  no  matter  how  well  known  to  him  nor  how 
common  its  occurrence  might  be.  These  collections,  together  with 
his  ^comprehensive  notes  and  maps  made  on  the  spot,  form  the  basis 
of  the  detailed  consideration  of  the  islets  in  the  following  pages. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  this  archipelago  proves  to  be  vegetated 
with  only  the  usual  broad  strand  species  common  to  similar  situations 
on  the  Antillean  islands  in  general.  The  principal  value  of  this  survey 
lies,  therefore,  first:  in  the  historical  record  of  the  present  flora,  which 
should  enable  future  students  to  determine  what  species  have  come  to 
the  different  islands  since  1904,  and  what  have  been  unable  to  sur- 
vive; second:  in  the  knowledge  of  what  species  come  first  to  such 

191 


192  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 

microcosms,  thus  forming  a  basis  upon  which  to  judge  of  the  ease  or 
difficulty  of  dispersion  exhibited  by  certain  species;  and  third:  how, 
and  in  what  conformation,  species  spread  when  brought  into  an 
untainted  environment,  thus  establishing  a  datum  point  for  the  possible 
solution  of  many  problems  in  plant  dissemination,  as  well  as  those 
relating  to  the  property  inherent  in  certain  plants  to  maintain  their 
specific  characters  in  newly  implanted  localities. 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      193 


THE   MAPS 

Heading  each  map-page  is  an  outline  sketch  of  the  whole  area 
upon  which  an  arrow  points  to  the  islet  that  is  enlarged  beneath.  The 
enlarged  maps  of  the  individual  keys  are  oriented  as  is  usual  in  maps 
and  upon  them  is  indicated,  by  arbitrary  signs,  the  location  and  extent 
of  the  various  species,  each  species  being  always  represented  by  the 
same  sign  on  the  different  maps. 

The  small  keys  north  and  west  of  Woman  Key,  Mule  Key, 
Cottrell  Key,  Mullet  Key,  East  and  West  Crawfish  Keys  and  Conch 
Key  being  mangrove  colonies  only;  and  Long  Key  and  Middle  Key 
being  devoid  of  vegetation,  are  not  mapped  or  included  in  detail  in 
this  paper. 


194 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TO»TU6AS     KEYS 


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Key  C. 


FEB.  1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      195 


KEY   C 


MARCH  14,  1904 


Alternanthera  brasiliana  (2373)  ± 

Atriplex  cristata  (2393) 

Avicennia  nitida  (2370)  *f 

Batis  maritima  (2374,  2383)  "fa 

Borrichia  arborescens  (2394)  A 

Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2392)  P 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2366)  }£ 

Dondia  linearis  (2389) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2364) 

Eustachys  petraea  (2378)  D 

Flaveria  linearis  (2367)  G 

Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2391)  F 

Laguncularia  racemosa  (2379)  f 

Lantana  involucrata  (2387) 

Lithophila  vermicularis  (2372) 


Melanthera  nivea  (2369) 
Metastelma  bahamense  (2377) 
Monanthochloe  littoralis  (2381) 
Passiflora  minima  (2390) 
Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2376) 
Portulaca  oleracea  (2375) 
Rhizophora  mangle  (2395) 
Salicornia  ambigua  (2380) 
Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2382) 
Solanum  bahamense  (2388) 
Sporobolus  purpurascens  (2371) 
Sporobolus  virginicus  (2363) 
Suriana  maritima  (2386) 
Waltheria  americana  (2365) 


A  low  sand  and  mangrove  islet,  substantially  circular  in  form, 
about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  diameter  and  rising  barely  two  feet 
above  the  sea  at  its  highest  point.  The  eastern  part  is  devoted 
entirely  to  a  colony  of  Rhizophora  mangle  a  small  sand  beach  on  the 
west  being  the  only  dry  land  in  the  mass.  This  bit  of  strand  has  an 
immediate  sea  border  of  Cenchrus  tribuloides  backed  by  a  Eustachys- 
Borrichia-Hymenocallis  association  with  which  a  few  patches  of  Cyperus 
brunneus  are  mingled.  Upon  the  area  between  this  higher  land  and 
the  mud  flat  near  the  mangroves  is  a  mixture  of  various  species  with- 
out definite  association  character;  the  low,  muddy  flat  between  this 
and  the  mangroves  yields  the  usual  Salicornia-Batis-Monanthochloe- 
Sesuviutn  association  of  the  key  salinas;  while  bordering  the  mangroves 
themselves  is  the  typical  scattering  of  Laguncularia  and  Avicennia. 

The  large  number  of  diverse  species  on  so  small  a  bit  of  land  indi- 
cate it  to  be  a  favorite  resting  place  of  aquatic  birds. 


196  .          FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TOHTU6AS     KEYS 


MARQUESAS     KEYS 


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FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      197 

MAN    KEY 
MARCH  13,  1904 

Q)    Alternanthera  brasiliana  (2353)  3  Galactia  spiciformis  (2332) 

©     Andropogon  glomeratus  (2325, 2357)  o  Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2326) 

•f      Avicennia  nitida  (2335)  •£>  Ipomoea  pes-caprae  (2330) 

fy1    Batis  maritima  (2339)  $  Iva  imbricata  (2342) 

<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2360,  2334)  ±  Melanthera  nivea    (2333,    2348, 

Z     Bradburya  virginiana  (2347,  2350)  23483) 

A     Cakile  fusiformis  (2324.  2328,  2343,  Y  Panicum  maximum  (2345) 

2344,  2358)  "3  Paspalum  distichum  (2329) 

cf     Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2346)  **  Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2362) 

c-     Conocarpus  erecta  (2340)  )£  Rhizophora  mangle  (2336) 

•      Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2338)  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2323) 

Cf     Euphorbia  havanensis   (2351,  2354,  ^  Solanum  bahamense  (2361) 

2355,  2356)  5f  Suriana  maritima  (2337) 

3     Eustachys  petraea  (2352)  *  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2341) 

6     Flaveria  linearis  (2331,  2349)  I  Uniola  paniculata  (2359) 

/  Waltheria  americana  (2327) 

Man  Key  is  a  narrow  sand  ridge  about  one  mile  long  by  a  quarter 
mile  wide.  The  southern  beach  rises  abruptly  to  a  bank,  about  four 
feet  high  in  its  central  part,  whence  it  slopes  to  the  west  into  a  narrow 
strand  and  to  the  east  to  a  sea-washed  spit.  The  brink  of  the 
plateau  is  occupied  by  a  Uniola- Euphorbia  association  with  Cakile 
between  it  and  the  water.  Back  of  this  association  is  a  new  aggrega- 
tion of  Panicum  and  Cenchrus.  The  plateau  itself  is  almost  covered 
with  Andropogon  admixed  with  scattering  plants  of  Waltheria,  Flaveria, 
Ipomoea,  and  Melanthera,  and  a  goodly  sprinkling  of  Galactia  and 
Bradburya. 

The  extensive  and  marked  zonal  arrangement  of  the  Uniola, 
Panicum,  Andropogon,  Borrichia,  Avicennia,  Batis,  and  Euphorbia  is 
unique  upon  this  key;  on  none  other  do  the  various  elements  of  the 
flora  remain  in  such  pure  colonies;  nor  is  there  found  anywhere  else 
among  the  keys  an  area  so  peculiarly  implanted.  The  next  feature 
of  note,  beside  the  remarkable  zonal  arrangement,  is  the  absence  of 
Laguncularia  from  the  mangrove  border,  and  Cyperus  brunneus  from 
the  plateau. 


ip8 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TOHTU6AS     KEYS 


MARQUESAS     KEVS 


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Woman  Key. 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      199 

WOMAN   KEY 
MARCH  14,  1904 

®    Andropogon  glomeratus  (2398)  |      Galactia  spiciformis  (2422) 

tf    Atriplex  cristata  (2411)  O  Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2405) 

f      Avicennia  nitida  (2410,  2429)  n     Laguncularia  racemosa  (2414,  2433) 

<P    Batis  raaritima  (2413)  ^     Lithophila  vermicularis  (2424,  2436) 

<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2420,  2425)         Y     Panicum  maximum  (2399,  2435) 
A     Cakile  fusiformis  (2408)  A    Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2423) 

Calonyction  album  (2400,  2432)  }£    Rhizophora  mangle  (2421,  2430) 

cf     Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2437)  g     Rivina  humilis  laevis  (2403,  2406) 

c~     Conocarpus  erecta  (2407,  2415)  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2416) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2417,  2418,  2434)       D     Solanum  bahamense  (2404,  2426) 
TTt   Dondia  linearis  (2419)  f      Suriana  maritima  (2412,  2431) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2409,  2427)  I      Uniola  paniculata  (2397) 

Euphorbia  Garberi  (2396)  /     Waltheria  americana  (2402) 

<j>     Euphorbia  trichotoma  (2401,  2428) 

A  low,  sandy  islet,  less  than  a  mile  long  and  about  one  quarter 
mile  wide,  composed  of  an  abrupt  southeastern  beach  rising  about 
three  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  backed  and  extended  by  two 
mangrove  colonies. 

The  southeast  beach  is  fringed  with  a  line  of  Sesuvium,  terminated 
on  the  west  by  a  few  plants  of  Cakile.  On  the  rise  above  this  fringe 
grows  a  nearly  complete  line  of  Uniola,  back  of  which  the  open  plateau 
of  the  key  is  clothed  with  a  dense  growth  of  Andropogon,  amongst 
which  are  scattering  plants  of  Panicum  maximum,  Hymenocallis, 
Euphorbia  buxifolia  and  E.  Garberi,  and  Waltheria.  On  the  mud  flat, 
between  the  higher  land  and  the  border  of  the  mangroves,  are  sep- 
arated colonies  of  Suriana,  Sesuvium,  Cyperus  brunneus,  Atriplex  cris- 
tata, and  Lithophila  vermicularis;  a  single  individual  of  Dondia  linearis; 
and  two  shrubs  of  Pithecolobium.  At  the  western  extremity  of  the 
AnJropogon  community,  evidently  profiting  by  the  shade  cast  by  the 
Avicennias,  are  a  few  individuals  of  Rivina  humilis  laevis,  Calonyction 
album,  Solanum  bahamense,  and  Euphorbia  trichotoma.  The  mangrove 
border  presents  its  usual  association  of  Borrichia  arborescens,  Batis, 
Sesuvium,  Laguncularia,  and  Avicennia,  and  two  separated  nuclei  of 
Conocarpus  erecta. 

The  western  half  of  the  key,  separated  by  a  narrow  strait,  is  a 
mangrove  colony  in  which  a  new  bit  of  dry  land  is  in  process  of  forma- 
tion. The  flora  of  this  terra  nova  shows  mostly  individual  infarction 
in  its  Solanum,  Suriana,  Calonyction,  Lithophila,  Euphorbia  havanensis, 
and  Borrichia  arborescens  elements,  while  its  Euphorbia  buxifolia,  Cen- 
chrus tribuloides,  Cyperus  brunneus,  and  Panicum  maximum  show  an 
early  tendency  to  communize.  Its  mangrove  border  evidences,  so 
far,  only  the  primal  elements  of  the  usual  society — Laguncularia- 
Avicennia. 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


r 


TO*TU8AS     KEYS 


MABQUEJAi      KEV5 


A^' 


>.-£***' 

%> 


CO  KEY  WEST 


Ballast  Key. 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  — SAND  KF.YS  OF  FLORIDA — MILLSPAUGH.      201 


BALLAST    KEY 


MARCH  13,  1904 


Ambrosia  hispida  (2308) 
Andropogon  glomeratus  (2320) 
Atriplex  cristata  (2315) 
Avicennia  nitida  (2306) 
Batis  maritima  (2305) 
Borrichia  arborescens  (2312) 
Cakile  fusiformis  (2317,  2318) 
Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2304) 
Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2321) 
Conocarpus  erecta  (2316) 


Cyperus  brunneus  (2319) 
Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2302) 
Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2301) 
Iva  imbricata  (2309) 
Monanthochloe  littoralis  (2307) 
Rhizophora  mangle  (2311) 
Salicornia  ambigua  (2303) 
Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2322) 
Suriana  maritima  (2310) 
Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2314) 
Uniola  paniculata  (2313) 


This  small  key  is  separated  from  Man  Key  by  a  channel  so  nar- 
row that  the  branches  of  the  mangroves  of  both  nearly  touch.  This 
channel  is  very  shallow  and  destined  soon  to  be  colonized  by  the  man- 
grove and  cause  the  islet  to  lose  its  identity  in  consolidation  with  Man 
Key.  The  key  is  now  about  250x240  feet,  and  in  the  neighborhood 
of  2  feet  at  its  highest  point.  Like  Bird  Key,  this  islet  has  no  abrupt 
shore,  being  more  or  less  rounded  in  topographic  contour  with  the 
strand  everywhere  at  a  gentle  slope. 

Its  vegetation  presents  the  odd  condition  of  having  its  mangroves 
and  Avicennias  disposed  at  the  farthest  points  they  could  possibly 
grow  apart,  instead  of  being,  as  usual,  in  association.  This  condition 
is  repeated  in  the  two  colonies  of  Uniola  and  Euphorbia,  one  on  the 
east  and  the  other  on  the  south  strand,  though  there  are  two  associated 
groups  of  these  elements  on  the  other  two  shores — northwest  and 
southeast. 

The  two  lines  of  Batis  and  Salicornia  appear  to  be  forming  their 
true  association  with  the  Avicennia,  and  at  one  point  Cenchrus  its 
frequently  noted  camaraderie  with  Uniola.  At  the  north  point  appears 
a  peculiar  continuous  line  of  Ambrosia  which  apparently  indicates  that 
the  strand  at  this  end  of  the  islet  is  in  process  of  formation  from  the 
sea.  The  extensive  implantation  of  Suriana  is  not  pure,  like  the  simi- 
lar growth  on  Bird  Key,  but  scatteringly  admixed  with  a  floor  growth 
of  Cyperus  and  Andropogon. 

The  small  lagoon,  on  the  eastern  side,  is  evidently  of  late  inclusion ; 
again  pointing  to  new  strand  formation  on  this  part  of  the  key. 


202 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


'"'    ' 


TOKTU6AS     KEYS 


MARQUESAS      KEV5 


»„     ta  KEY  WEST 


nsA»>n, 

*  --*--•  X        X*>tx.X  X 


X:**K 
_ €  }f          Jt 

^X-*  X  X      XX. 


Boca  Grande  Key. 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA — MILLSPAUGH.      203 


BOCA    GRANDE    KEY 


MARCH  13,  1904 


Alternanthera  brasiliana  (2279) 
Ambrosia  hispida  (2280) 
Andropogon  glomeratus  (2293) 
Avicennia  nitida  (2286) 
Batis  maritima  (2285) 
Bumelia  microphylla  (2291) 
Caesalpinia  crista  (2282) 
Cakile  fusiformis  (2266) 
Cenchrus  echinatus  (2300^) 
Cordia  sebestena  (2296) 
Cyperus  brunneus  (2298) 
Diapedium  assurgens  (2283) 
Dondia  linearis  (2294) 
Erithalis  fruticosa  (2269) 
Ernodea  littoralis  (2276) 
Euphorbia  Garberi  (2271) 
Euphorbia  havanensis  (2300) 
Flaveria  linearis  (2267) 


C 
D 
f 

/ 


Gossypium  religiosum  (2287) 
Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2273) 
Laguncularia  racemosa  (2290) 
Maytenus  phyllanthoides  (2292) 
Melanthera  nivea  (2297) 
Metastelma  bahamense  (2277) 
Pectis  Lessingii  (2295) 
Phaseolus  pauciflorus  (2284) 
Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2272, 

2278) 

Rhizophora  mangle  (2289) 
Salicornia  ambigua  (2288) 
Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2275) 
Smilax  havanensis  (2274) 
Solanum  bahamense  (2268) 
Suriana  maritima  (2299) 
Waltheria  americana  (2270) 


This  most  interesting  of  all  the  isolated  sandy  keys  is  about 
three  fourths  of  a  mile  long  and  five  eighths  of  a  mile  in  width.  It 
rises  abruptly,  on  the  west,  from  a  narrow  beach  to  an  elevation  of 
about  4  feet,  then  after  exhibiting  a  narrow  and  but  slightly  vegetated 
plateau  quickly  slopes  to  two  small  lagoons  and  a  mangrove-surrounded 
plain  consisting  principally  of  small  bits  of  coral  rock. 

The  narrow  western  beach  is  flanked,  at  the  base  of  the  abrupt 
bank  which  forms  the  wash  line,  by  an  almost  continuous  line  of 
Sesuvium,  as  is  so  often  the  case  among  these  keys.  The  plateau 
association  is  Andropogon-Cyperus,  instead  of  Uniola-Euphorbia,\hz  latter 
being  inexplicably  absent,  not  even  presenting  a  single  individual  of 
its  elements.  At  the  northern  end  the  mangrove  border  association 
of  Avicennia-Dondia-Salicornia-Batis  is  very  characteristic,  while  the 
heterogeneous  admixture  of  species,  between  this  association  and  the 
beach,  can  but  suggest  a  favorite  resting  ground  for  both  sea  and 
land  birds. 

The  plain  of  coral  debris  is  peculiar  to  this  key  alone  in  the 
archipelago.  It  is  nearly  barren  except  for  its  odd  aggregation  of 
shrubs  of  Cordia,  Gossypium,  Bumdia,  Melanthera  and  Maytenus,  the 
first  two  of  which  suggest  former  residence  of  man.  The  passageway 
between  the  plateau  and  the  coral  plain  is  flanked  on  each  side  by 
large  masses  of  Ambrosia  that  run  into  the  Laguncularia  on  the  north 
and  the  mangroves  on  the  south. 


FEB.  1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      205 


THE  MARQUESAS  GROUP 

The  sand  keys  forming  this  group  have  been  arbitrarily  designated 
as  "A,"  "B, "  "C, "  etc.,  for  reference  in  this  work,  and  are  also  so 
indicated  upon  the  labels  of  the  specimens,  the  maps,  and  in  the 
field  notes.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  these  islets  are  only  known 
collectively,  among  the  boat  and  turtle  men,  as  "The  Marquesas," 
not  being  individually  differentiated  by  them.  On  the  U.  S.  Coast  and 
Geodetic- Chart  No.  170,  our  Key  "H"  is  noted  as  Round  Island  and 
the  small  key  lying  between  our  Key  "I"  and  Key  "A"  (which  was 
found  to  be  covered  with  mangroves  only)  as  Conch  Key;  these  names 
are,  however,  unknown  to  the  boat  men.  Mr.  Lansing's  observations, 
during  his  survey  of  the  group,  point  to  several  changes  having  befallen 
the  islets  since  the  survey  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the 
chart.  Key  "A"  he  found  to  be  continuous'instead  of  composed  of  two 
portions;  this  was  also  true  of  Keys  "G"  and  "H"  and  of  Conch 
Key;  and  Key  "D"  has  been  reduced  from  narrowly  oblong  to  a  more 
or  less  semicircular  form.  These  changes  are  in  no  wise  peculiar 
but  are  due  to  the  natural  expansion  of  the  mangrove  colonies,  erosion 
by  the  waves  and  current,  artd  the  drifting  or  upwashing  of  the  fine, 
light,  coral  sand  of  which  these  keys  are  all  composed.  All  of  these 
natural  forces  are  uniting  to  form,  in  course  of  time,  a  solid  island  em- 
bracing this  whole  group. 


206 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TOKTU6AS     KEYS 


OCJUE3AS      KEYS 


03  KEY  WEST 


v^> 


Marquesas  "A" 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA — SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA — MILLSPAUGH.     207 


MARQUESAS    "A" 
MARCH  10,  1904 


Ambrosia  hispida  (2104) 
©     Andropogon  glomeratus  (2123) 
"f      Avicennia  nitida  (2101) 
<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2109) 
2£    Caesalpinia  crista  (2103) 
A     Cakile  fusiformis  (2110) 
§     Calonyction  album  (2121) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2122) 
TTt    Dondia  linearis  (2100) 
©     Erithalis  fruticosa  (2119) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2113) 
<y     Euphorbia  havanensis  (2115) 
6     Flaveria  linearis  (2117) 


n. 


Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2120) 
Iva  imbricata  (2124) 
Laguncularia  racemosa  (2102) 
Lantana  involucrata  (2III,  2114) 
Melanthera  nivea  (2116) 
Paspalum  distichum  (2125) 
Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2105, 

2106) 

Rhizophora  mangle  (2099) 
Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2118) 
Suriana  maritima  (2108) 
Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2107) 
Uniola  paniculata  (2112) 


This  islet,  the  most  western  of  the  Marquesas  group,  is  semilunar 
in  outline  with  the  concavity  looking  substantially  inward.  It  is  of 
clear  sand,  about  1.5  miles  long  and  300  feet  wide,  and  has  an  elevation 
of  about  3.5  feet  maintained  throughout  its  central  line  of  length. 
The  northern  horn  of  the  crescent  is  a  sloping  sand  spit;  while  the 
southern  gradually  merges  into  the  mangroves  that  completely  border 
the  concave  western  side.  The  unbroken  eastern  convex  strand  is 
very  narrow  and  is  backed  at  the  wash  line  of  the  waves  with  an  almost 
continuous  strip  of  Sesuvium.  The  mangrove  association  is  almost 
pure,  having  only  a  few  Avicennias  at  its  northern  extremity  and  nearby, 
to  the  south  of  these,  a  small  number  of  Erithalis  shrubs. 

The  central  portion  of  the  islet,  a  sandy  plain,  is  almost  covered 
with  a  quite  close  growth  of  Uniola  intermingled  with  the  islet's  com- 
plete flora  as  listed  above.  The  vegetable  peculiarities  of  this  coloni- 
zation are: — The  comparatively  few  shrubs  of  Suriana;  the  localized 
lines  of  Ambrosia  and  Paspalum;  the  confinement  of  Euphorbia  buxi- 
folia, Calonyciion  and  Flaveria  to  the  lower  half  of  the  islet  when  evidently 
the  conditions  are  the  same  throughout;  and  the  general  scattered 
arrangement  of  the  balance  of  the  species.  The  unicate  vegetation 
consists  of  Caesalpinia,  Dondia,  and  Laguncularia,  all  on  the  northern 
half. 


aoS  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


MAR4UE3AS     KEYS 


>.     03  Kf  T  WOT 


FLORIDA 


wr-" 


Marquesas  "B." 


FEB.  1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.     209 


MARQUESAS  "B" 
MARCH  n,  1904 

0  Andropogon  glomeratus  (2163) 
f      Avicennia  nitida  (2165) 

<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2157) 
.  — :     Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2162) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2159,  2161) 
<fo      Distichlis  maritima  (2l6o) 
TTt    Dondia  linearis  (2167) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2168) 
n     Laguncularia  racemosa  (2164) 

Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2166) 
f     Suriana  maritima  (2158) 

1  Uniola  paniculata  (2169) 

This,  smallest  of  the  Marquesas  group,  is  a  sand  key  40 'by  100 
feet  in  extent,  barely  twelve  inches  above  the  wash  of  the  sea.  Its 
sloping  strand  is  broad  and  clean  except  at  the  southeastern  point 
where  the  encroachment  of  the  sea  upon  the  Laguncularias  shows  a 
tendency  to  loss  of  insular  area.  The  flow  of  the  tide  forth  and  back 
through  the  narrow  passages,  both  to  the  north  and  south  of  this  islet, 
is  apparently  too  strong  to  allow  the  fruits  of  Rhizophora  to  gain  a 
roothold  upon  any  part  of  its  shores. 

The  Uniola- Euphorbia  association,  at  the  wave  limits  of  the  north 
strand,  is  a  very  characteristic  one,  terminated  at  both  extremities  by 
pure  colonies  of  Sesuvium.  The  scattered  flora  of  the  central  portion 
of  the  islet  contains  more  of  the  elements  of  Marquesas  ' ' A"  to  the  south 
than  of  "C"  to  the  north,  and  one  element,  in  Distichlis,  that  does  not 
appear  upon  either  of  its  neighbors. 

Without  the  aid  of  the  mangrove  it  would  seem  highly  probable 
that  this  will  be  one  of  the  last  elements  to  play  its  part  in  joining  the 
islets  of  the  Marquesas  group  into  a  complete  mass. 


210  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


10  to 


o* 


FLORIDA 
\ 
S 


TOUTUSAS     KIYS 


'*• 


k.     00  KEY  WtST 


//  ******* 


Marquesas  "C. 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA — SAND  KEYS- OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      211 


MARQUESAS  "C" 
MARCH  10,  1904 

^  Atriplex  cristata  (2129) 

5  Calonyclion  album  (2137) 

— :  Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2135) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2131) 

Cf  Euphorbia  havanensis  (2133) 

9  Euphorbia  trichotoma  (2128) 

ft  Flaveria  linearis  (2136) 

$  Iva  imbricata  (2134) 

n  Laguncularia  racemosa  (2127) 

=  Metastelma  bahamense  (2139) 

\3  Pharbitis  cathartica  (2138) 

^  Rhizophora  mangle  (not  collected) 

D  Solanum  bahamense  (2130) 

f  Suriana  maritima  (2132) 

I  Uniola  paniculata  (2126) 

This  small  sand  islet,  one  of  the  three  forming  the  nuclei  of  the 
western  consolidation  of  the  group  into  a  future  island,  is  about  250 
feet  in  length  and  (including  the  mangrove  association)  50  feet  at  its 
widest  point.  It  rises  abruptly  on  its  northwestern,  or  sea,  beach  to  a 
central  plateau  about  3  feet  above  tide. 

The  salient  peculiarities  of  its  vegetation  are: — The  absence  of 
Sesuvium,  Euphorbia  buxifolia,  and  Cakile;  the  thorough  colonization  of 
Laguncularia  along  the  mangrove  border;  the  presence  of  two  large 
convolvulaceous  colonies — Calonyction  and  Pharbitis;  and  the  presence  in 
unicate  of  Solanum  and  Iva.  With  these  prominent  exceptions  the 
general  disposition  of  the  vegetation  marks  a  strong  similarity  to 
Islet  "A." 


212 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TOHTU6AS     KIYS 


/R<JUC3AS\KE' 


** 

XX 

*** 

^x*-* 

K^X^£ 
7*-  it  ^t^€ 

HXK^K    H 
*f* 


Marquesas  "D. " 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      213 


MARQUESAS  "D" 
MARCH  n,  1904 

•    Ambrosia  hispida  (2145) 
<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2155) 
if     Caesalpinia  crista  (2154) 
Cyperus  brunneus  (2152) 

0  Ernodea  littoralis  (2156) 
Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2143) 

n  .  Laguncularia  racemosa  (2151) 

H  Lantana  involucrata  (2144) 

±  Melanthera  nivea  (2148) 

A  Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2147) 

3£  Rhizophora  mangle  (2141) 

§  Rivina  humilis  laevis  (2146) 

D  Solanum  bahamense  (2149) 

F  Sporobolus  virginicus  (2153) 

f  Suriana  maritima  (2140,  2142) 

1  Uniola  paniculata  (2150) 

This  odd,  helmet-shaped  islet  presents  a  peculiarly  clear-cut  com- 
panionship*of  the  species  forming  its  flora.  In  extent  it  is  about  150 
by  75  feet  with  an  elevation  of  about  4  feet  throughout  the  central 
plateau.  Its  high  sea  border  is  almost  sheer,  while  its  plateau  gently 
slopes  into  the  mangrove  swamp  that  characteristically  faces  the  inner 
shallows  of  the  group. 

The  Uniola-Euphorbia-Cyperus  association  exhibits  the  usual  fea- 
tures with  no  exception  whatever,  but  beyond  this  the  groupings  are 
striking.  The  central  position  of  the  Ambrosia  which  is  almost  always 
found  on  the  immediate  strand;  the  strongly  separated  colonies  of 
Sporobolus;  the  entire  absence  of  Sesuvium  when  its  presence  would 
certainly  be  expected;  and  the  clear-cut  isolation  of  the  various 
colonies,  that  habit  the  slope  between  the  plateau  and  the  mangroves, 
marks  a  vegetal  problem  that  can  only  offer  as  a  solution  the  youth 
of  that  portion  of  the  islet  between  the  mangroves  and  the  plateau. 


214  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TOKTU6AS     KlYS 


MARQUESAS     KEYS 

6 


».      OH  KEY  WEST 


$ 


c\^£    ^ 
V^ 


^ 


Marquesas  "  E. " 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      215 

MARQUESAS "E" 

MARCH  11-12,  1904 

©    Agave  decipiens  (2184)  U  Laguncularia  racemosa  (2192) 

Ambrosia  hispida  (2170)  ±  Melanthera  nivea  (2179) 

©     Andropogon  glomeratus  (2194,2207)       =  Metastelma  bahamense  (2172) 

•f      Avicennia  nitida  (2191)  -j.  Oreodoxa  regia  (2198) 

<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2196)  ^  Passiflora  minima  (2177) 

2£     Caesalpinia  crista  (2207^)  \5  Pharbitis  cathartica  (2200) 

A     Cakile  fusiformis  (2183,  2190)  A  Pithecolobium  guadalupense  (2175, 
-:     Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2182)                                 2188) 

<^     Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2206)  K  Rhizophora  mangle  (2204) 

L     Coccolobis  uvifera  (2197)  $  Rivina  humilis  laevis  (2203) 

+     Coccothrinax  jucunda  (22Ol)|  =^  Salicornia  ambigua  (2186) 

0     Erithalis  fruticosa  (2187)  O  Scaevola  Plumieri  (2199) 

O     Ernodea  littoralis  (2173,  2193)  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2202) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2171,  2185)  /  Suriana  maritima  (2174) 

<y     Euphorbia  havanensis  (2180)  %  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2195) 

3      Galactia  spiciformis  (2178,  2181)  I  Uniola  paniculata  (2205) 

J     Jacquinia  keyensis  (2176)  /  Waltheria  americana  (2189) 

This  most  extensive  link  of  the  group  exhibits  no  characters 
materially  differentiating  it  from  islet  "F."  It  showsa  growing  man- 
grove bond  in  the  process  of  forming  land  between  its  older  southern 
end  and  its  younger  northern  spit.  The  total  extent  of  the  link  is  in 
the  neighborhood  of  5  miles,  while  its  dry-ground  width  is  in  no  place 
over  800  feet  and  nowhere  over  6  feet  above  sea  level.  Its  two  extrem- 
ities are  wave  and  current  washed,  though  the  southern  shows  the 
greater  disturbance  on  account  of  the  strength  of  the  current  that 
flows  between  it  and  islet  "F. "  Here  the  strand  is  very  abrupt  and  as 
usual  in  such  situations  bordered  at  the  wash  line  with  Sesuvium. 

Situated  on  the  higher  ground  of  the  northern  end  is  a  charcoal 
burner's  cabin,  long  since  deserted,  the  former  occupancy  of  which  is 
doubtless  responsible  for  the  nearby  presence  of  Agave  decipiens  and 
Oreodoxa  regia,  and  possibly  also  of  the  sea  grapes  (Coccolobis),  though 
not  at  all  for  any  other  species  of  the  islet's  vegetation,  the  well 
developed  Coccothrinax  being  too  far  away  from  the  cabin  to  admit  the 
possibility  of  its  having  been  purposely  planted  there.  The  sheer  rise 
of  the  northwestern  beach  is  characterized  by  the  absence  of  vegeta- 
tion, and  the  clothing  of  the  higher  level  with  a  fringing  Ambrosia 
colony  backed  by  the  usual  plateau  association  of  Uniola  and  Euphor- 
bia. The  peculiar  long  stretch  of  but  slightly  vegetated  sand  joining 
this  point  with  the  cabin  end  exhibits  a  very  "spotty"  avevectent 
implantation.  The  absence  of  Sesuvium,  Cakile,*  and  Hymenocallis  and 

tSee  also  Thrlnax  keyensis  p.  240. 

'Except  what  might  easily  be  a  late  implantation. 


216  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.  II. 


^FLORIDA 


TOUTUSAS     KEYS 


H 


XK: 


.x 


.K 


X 


3gjja*«s* 

£X**x**x1l 


X 


My**** 

X,/L  Xf  f 


F 


H*5*5 

uc^  >€  X-  v  >^ 


:X^5^ 


i^*H  |  jx*$^iji[i 


v*i, v  ^XKH.^V^X.  ^-.-^  -^    x^    ^^^^ 


Sf^T-v/'Vii 

Wi^]^^ 


Marquesas 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      217 

the  presence  of  Coccothrinax  jucunda  and  Coceolobis  on  this  end  of  the  islet 
strongly  suggests  that  while  it  was  occupied  by  charcoal  burners  they 
probably  kept  a  swine  or  two;  that  entirely  uprooted  the  former,  and 
on  account  of  them  the  coalers  brought  in  and  planted  the  latter. 

The  southern  end  bears  a  strong  vegetal  resemblance  to  the  other 
small  islets  of  the  group,  the  association  showing  no  peculiar  characters. 


MARQUESAS  "F" 
MARCH  12,  1904 

f  Avicennia  nitida  (2217) 

<  Borrichia  arborescens  (2220) 

A  Cakile  fusiformis  (2213) 

— :  Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2219) 

c~  Conocarpus  erecta  (2216) 

1Tt  Dondia  linearis  (2208,  2209) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2212) 

9  Euphorbia  trichotoma  (2215) 

=C=  Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2221) 

±  Melanthera  nivea  (2211) 

K  Rhizophora  mangle  (2218) 

-—  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2223) 

D  Solanum  bahamense  (2214) 

V  Suriana  maritima  (2210) 

I  Uniola  paniculata  (2222) 

This  formation,  only  separated  from  "A"  by  a  channel  about  300 
feet  wide,  shows  no  other  character  of  differentiation  from  that  key. 
It  is  about  one  mile  in  length  and  is  mostly  a  mangrove  colony.  Its 
southern  extremity  rises  in  a  sand  ridge  about  3  feet  above  tide, 
upon  which  is  the  usual  Uniola-Euphorbia  association.  The  only 
striking  vegetal  characters  are  the  presence  of  Euphorbia  trichotoma, 
the  implantation  of  the  bit  of  beach  central  to  the  eastern  margin  with 
Conocarpus;  and  the  Avicennia  connective  between  this  and  the  next 
small  bit  of  sand  beach  to  the  north. 


218  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.  II. 


^FLORIDA 


TO«TU8AS     KEYS 


5^> 


MABQUE3AS     KEYS 


*>  >€;; 

*?8  f«  n  HH 


Marquesas   "  G. " 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      219 


MARQUESAS  "G" 
MARCH  12,  1904 

f      Avicennia  nitida  (2235) 

<     Borrichia  arborescens  (2236) 

$  •  Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2229) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2238) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2225) 
cf     Euphorbia  havanensis  (2232) 
/o,     Euphorbia  heterophylla  (2233) 
9     Euphorbia  trichotoma  (2224) 
$      Iva  imbricata  (2237) 
n     Laguncularia  racemosa  (2227) 
-3     Paspalum  distichum  (2239) 
^     Rhizophora  mangle  (2234) 
^->     Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2226) 
f     Suriana  maritima  (2228) 
>(c     Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2231) 
I      Uniola  paniculata  (2230) 

This  bit  of  sand  and  mangrove,  about  200x75  ^eet  'n  extent  and 
2  feet  above  the  tide,  is  the  beginning  of  a  connective  destined  to 
unite  the  group  on  the  south. 

The  Uniola  association  of  the  sand  plateau  differs  in  its  component 
species  from  the  other  small  keys  in  that  the  Euphorbia  buxifolia 
element  is  largely  supplanted  by  Cenchrus  and  Euphorbia  havanensis 
and  E.  heterophylla — the  latter  of  doubtful  specific  differentiation.  Its 
vegetal  distinction  from  the  other  keys  is  also  prominent  in  the  large 
number  of  individuals  of  Avicennia  associated  in  forming  an  unbroken 
landward  border  for  the  mangrove  colony. 


220  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


v.      JL 


TCWTUBAS     KIV3 


ABC1UCJAS     KEYS 


,, 


Marquesas  "  H." 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      221 


MARQUESAS  "H,"  OR  ROUND   ISLAND 
MARCH  12,  1904 

^  Atriplex  cristata  (2246) 

|  Avicennia  nitida  (2242) 

<  Borrichia  arborescens  (2248) 

A  Cakile  fusiformis  (2250) 

TU,  Dondia  linearis  (2249) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2247) 

n  Laguncularia  racemosa  (2241) 

±  Melanthera  nivea  (2251) 

K  Rhizophora  mangle  (2245) 

sO:  Salicornia  ambigua  (2243) 

-^  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2252) 

G  Sporobolus  purpurascens  (2244) 

f  Suriana  maritima  (2240) 

This  small  key,  about  1200  feet  in  area,  is  distinctive  in  having 
its  plateau,  about  3  feet  in  elevation,  absolutely  barren  of  vegetation, 
having  as  yet  formed  no  Uniola  association,  the  Euphorbia  element 
being  turned  over  to  the  Sesuvium  border  on  the  abrupt  south  beach. 
In  the  pasty  mud  at  the  base  of  the  slope  to  the  Rhizophora  swamp, 
close  to  the  mangroves  themselves  and  between  therti  and  the  usual 
Laguncularia,  is  an  incipient  salina  strip  devoted  solely  to  Salicornia 
bordered  on  the  landward  side  by  Sporobolus  purpurascens.  None  of 
the  other  elements  of  the  vegetal  association  is  particularly  unique. 


222  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


FLORIDA 


TOHTU6AS     KEYS 


MARQUESAS     KEYS 


».     03  KiVWEST 


a^ax^-^t     ^€    ^/:  -^  ^ 

0ggfr£Mx$* 

^*^6^»txl? 

*S.X      tt<    f1^    ^  ^    >€ 

r  "T^T  )+f    1   C"  _      C~^      / 


Marquesas  "  I." 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA — SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA — MILLSPAUGH.      223 


MARQUESAS   "I" 
MARCH  12,  1904 

f  Avicennia  nitida  (2256) 

<  Borrichia  arborescens  (2257) 

(^  Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2264) 

c-  Conocarpus  erecta  (2259) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2262) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2263) 

tf  Euphorbia  havanensis  (2265) 

^  Eustachys  petraea  (2255) 

$  Iva  imbricata  (2253) 

X  Rhizophora  mangle  (2258) 

f  Suriana  maritima  (2261) 

I  Uniola  paniculata  (2254) 

/  Waltheria  americana  (2260) 

A  small  sand  strip  about  100  feet  in  length,  25  feet  wide,  and  less 
than  2  feet  in  elevation.  Its  seaward  shore  is  too  abrupt  for  a  Sfsu- 
vium  colony,  or  has  been  recently  eroded  to  such  an  extent  as  to  have 
lost  it.  The  immediate  brow  of  the  bank  is  given  over  to  the  usual 
Uniola- Euphorbia  association  in  which  the  ample  admixture  of  Suriana 
so  near  the  brink  proves  with  near  certainty  the  erosion  of  this  shore.. 
The  colonization  of  the  plateau  is  quite  distinctive  in  its  novel  associ- 
ation of  Eustachys  and  Waltheria.  This  association  appears  to  have 
weaned  the  Cyperus  element  away  from  the  Uniola  association,  which 
in  turn  has  adopted  Cenchrus  as  a  substitute.  The  mangrove  border, 
while  retaining  a  complete  fringe  of  Avicennia,  here  shows  for  the  first 
time  in  the  group  a  full  substitution  of  Conocarpus  for  Laguncularia^ 


224  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


TO«TU6AS     ICIVS 


MARQUESAS      KEYS 


°      £,  • 


FLORIDA 


East  Key. 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      225 


TORTUGAS    GROUP 

The  islets  of  this  group,  the  most  western  of  the  Florida  Keys, 
are  too  shifting,  or  lacking  in  coral  mud,  to  form  an  anchorage  for 
Rhizophora  mangle,  in  this  respect  differing  radically  from  the  man- 
grove-formed Marquesas  group,  from  which  they  are  separated  by  over 
fifty  miles  of  open  sea.  Long*  and  Middle  Keys  are  so  low  as  to  be 
awash  during  heavy  weather  and,  on  this  account,  are  void  of  vege- 
tation. The  details  of  the  vegetation  of  the  other  keys  of  the  group 
are  as  follows: 


EAST    KEY 
MARCH  21,  1904 

A     Cakile  fusiformis  (2492) 
cf     Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2487) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2485) 
$      Iva  imbricata  (2484  and  2486) 
D     Scaevola  Plumieri  (2489) 

Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2490) 
%  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2491) 
I  Uniola  paniculata  (2488) 

East  Key  lies  about  four  miles  north  of  east  from  Garden  Key. 
It  is  little  more  than  a  mere  sand  bank  about  280x50  feet  in  area.  I*s 
west  shore  is  narrow  and  rises  abruptly  to  an  elevation  of  about  2  feet, 
whence  the  surface  slopes  gradually  to  broad  strands  on  the  east  and 
south. 

The  vegetation  consists  principally  of  Cenchrus  and  Euphorbia 
with  a  sprinkling  of  Uniola  at  the  southern  end;  two  isolated  patches 
of  Sesuvium  near  the  center  of  the  islet;  and  the  few  other  species 
scattered  without  definite  association. 


226  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


v FLOP  i  DA 


TOKTUSAS    KEYS 


MARdUEJAS     K£VS 


».      03  KEY  WEST 


Sand  or  Hospital  Key 


FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA — MILLSPAUGH.      227 


SAND,    OR    HOSPITAL   KEY 
MARCH  21,    1904 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2493,  2494) 
£?    Ipomoea  pes-caprae  (2497) 
$      Iva  imbricata  (2496) 
^     Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2495) 
I      Uniola  paniculata  (2498) 

Sand  Key,  the  smallest  vegetated  key  in  the  group,  is  situated 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  Garden  Key.  This  little, 
oval  patch  of  sand,  known  to  the  natives  as  Hospital  Key,  is  about  50 
x8o  feet,  and  has  lost  nearly  the  same  area  since  it  was  charted  by 
the  U.  S.  Hydrographic  Survey.  The  central  portion,  which  rises 
about  three  feet  above  the  sea  and  comprises  fully  one  half  the  surface 
of  the  islet,  is  occupied  by  a  growth  of  Euphorbia  buxifolia  and  Ipomoea 
pes-caprae  flanked  on  the  eastern  border  by  three  separated  patches  of 
Sesuvium  portulacastrum,  on  the  west  by  four  shrubby  plants  of  Iva 
imbricata,  and  on  the  north  by  a  clump  of  Uniola  paniculata. 


228 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — BOTANY,  VOL.  II.. 


tCM.1     0»     ««>v»» 


JL 


TOUTUSAS    KCVS 


.,     00  KEY  WEST 


Garden   Key. 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      229 

GARDEN    KEY 
MARCH  22,   1904 


b 

I 


Arharanthus  viridis  (2521)  4^ 

Argemone  leiocarpa  (2531)  $ 

Atriplex  cristata  (2522)  s 

Bidens  leucantha  (2506)  ± 

Boerhaavia  viscosa  (2530)  # 

Cakile  fusiformis  (2517,  2526)  ~D 

Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2516)  P 

Capraria  saxifragaefolia  (2501)  T 
Cenchrus  echinatus  (2512) 

Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2511)  A 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2529)  B 

Euphorbia  adenoptera  (2502)  U 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2523)  G 

Euphorbia  havanensis  (2536)  f 

Eustachys  petraea  (2504)  K 
Heliotropium  curassavicum  (2509)          >|c 

Hymenocallis  caribaea  (2514)  I 


Ipomoea  pes-caprae  (2518) 
Iva  imbricata  (2520) 
Lithophila  vermicularis  (2527) 
Melanthera  nivea  (2505) 
Opuntia  Dillenii  (2537) 
Paspalum  distichum  (2528) 
Portulaca  oleracea  (2503) 
Sesbania  sericea  (2519) 
Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2524) 
Sida  carpinifolia  (2515,  2535) 
Sida  diffusa  (2534) 
Sonchus  oleraceus  (2499,  2533) 
Sporobolus  purpurascens  (2507-8) 
Suriana  maritima  (2532) 
Syntherisma  fimbriatum  (2510) 
Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2513) 
Uniola  paniculata  (2525) 
Valerianodes  jamaicensis  (2500) 


Garden  Key,  the  central  islet  of  the  group,  is  almost  wholly 
occupied  by  the  structure  and  outbuildings  of  Fort  Jefferson,  leaving 
to  natural  vegetation  only  a  small  sandy  point  to  the  northeast  and  a 
somewhat  larger  one  to  the  south  of  the  walls  of  the  fortress.  Within 
the  bastion  walls,  near  the  officers'  quarters,  have  been  planted  about 
thirty  trees  of  Avicennia  nitida,  one  Tamarindus  indica,  and  a  number 
of  individuals  of  Catappa  catappa,  the  balance  of  the  enclosed  area 
being  devoted  to  a  parade  ground.  On  the  western  edge  of  this  parade 
are  a  few  clumps  of  Hymenocallis  caribaea;  on  the  parade  itself  a  few 
plants  of  Sida  carpinifolia;  in  the  waste  space  back  of  the  officers' 
quarters  several  clumps  of  Sida  diffusa;  and  within  the  walls  of  a  ruined 
powder  magazine  a  few  plants  of  Sonchus  oleraceus. 

The  small  area  of  natural  islet  northeast  of  the  base  of  the  fortress 
walls  supports  an  intermingling  of  the  following  species:  Paspalum 
distichum,  Cakile  fusiformis,  Sesuvium  portulacastrum,  Sporobolus  pur- 
purascens, Uniola  paniculata, Tournefortia  gnaphalodes,  Suriana  marilima, 
Euphorbia  buxifolia,  Cenchrus  echinatus,  Syntherisma  fimbriatum,  and  Iva 
imbricata.  This  vegetated  area  is  bordered  on  the  east  by  a  complete 
line  of  Cenchrus  tribuloides  and  Cyperus  brunneus. 

The  southern  projection  of  the  key  presents  the  most  interesting 


230  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.  II. 

flora  of  the  Tortugas  group.  The  great  number  of  species  on  this  bit 
of  sand,  not  differing  in  itself  from  that  of  the  other  islets,  must  be 
due  either  to  ballast  dumping  or  some  element  connected  with  the 
presence  of  man.  Along  the  west  beach  is  a  stretch  of  Paspalum  dis- 
tichum  with  a  sprinkling  of  Cyperus  brunneus,  two  isolated  patches  of 
Lithophila  vermicularis,  and  beyond  these  to  the  southern  extremity  a 
complete  border  of  Uniola  paniculata  with  a  fringe  of  Cenchrus  tribu- 
loides  at  its  seaward  base.  The  southern  portion  of  the  point  is  given 
up  to  Canavalia  obtusifolia  which  is  separated  from  the  Uniola  by  a 
growth  of  Euphorbia  buxifolia.  In  the  center  of  the  spit  is  a  hetero- 
geneous intermingling  of  Ipomoea  pes-caprae,  Euphorbia  btixifolia,  Atri- 
plex  cristata,  Bidens  leucantha,  Suriana  maritima,  Tournefortia  gnapha- 
lodes,  Heliotropium  curassavicum,  Canavalia  obtusifolia,  Sida  carpinifolia, 
Melanthera  nivea,  Sonchus  oleraceus,  Eustachys  petraea,  Capraria 
saxifragaefolia,  Sesbania  sericea,  Sporobolus  purpurascens,  Euphorbia 
adenoptera  and  Portulaca  oleracea.  Near  an  outbuilding,  a  few  feet 
from  the  base  of  the  moat  wall,  is  a  clump  of  Opuntia  Dillenii,  a 
cluster  of  Amaranthus  viridis,  and  a  patch  of  Boerhaavia  viscosa; 
between  these  and  the  board  walk  the  space  is  occupied  entirely  by 
Canavalia  obtusifolia,  terminating  in  one  plant  of  Sesbania  sericea.  The 
bit  of  sand  between  the  walk  and  the  east  beach  close  to  the  wall  of 
the  moat  is  occupied  by  the  Canavalia,  Argemone  leiocarpa,  Sonchus 
oleraceus,  Valerianodes  jamaicensis,  Iva  imbricata,  and  immediately  at 
the  beach  Ipomoea  pes-caprae. 

On  the  coping  of  the  bastions  grows  the  only  implantation  of 
Euphorbia  havanensis  in  the  group;  it  is  accompanied  by  Canavalia 
obtusifolia  and  Melanthera  nivea. 


232  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.  II. 


> FLORIDA 


TORT US AS     KEYS 


MARQUESAS      KCVS 


».     «  KEY  wtST 


Bird  Key. 


FEH.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      233 

BIRD    KEY 
MARCH  19,    1904 

A     Cakile  fusiformis  (2458,  2460,  2462,  -3  Paspalum  distichum  (2450) 

2463)  P  Portulaca  oleracea  (2459) 

tf     Cenchrus  tribuloides  (2454^ )  D  Scaevola  Plumieri  (2456) 

Cyperus  brunneus  (2452)  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2461) 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2453,  2455)  f  Suriana  maritima  (2451) 

#      Opuntia  Dillenii  (2454)  jjc  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2449) 

I  Uniola  paniculata  (2457) 

This  low  sand  islet,  situated  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  south 
of  west  from  Garden  Key,  extends  about  500  feet  north  and  south, 
about  250  feet  east  and  west  at  its  broadest  part,  and  at  its  highest 
point  rises  only  about  3^  feet  above  the  sea.  The  northern  extremity 
is  a  broad  sea-washed  sand  spit;  the  west  beach  is  very  narrow  and 
rises  immediately  into  an  abrupt  bank  about  two  feet  high;  the  east 
shore  slopes  into  a  broad  strand,  and  the  southern  extremity  forms  a 
sand  spit  similar  to  that  of  the  north  point  but  less  extensive.  Wave 
action  from  the  northwest  appears  to  be  rapidly  eroding  the  western 
beach,  the  vegetation  on  the  shore  plainly  showing  the  encroachment. 

Almost  the  entire  Key  is  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  Suriana 
maritima  which  extends  to  the  verge  of  the  west  shore  and  to  the  wave 
limit  of  the  east  beach,  clothing  the  center  of  the  islet  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  other  species.  The  east  border  is  plentifully  strewn  with  an 
intermingling  of  Cenchrus  tribuloides,  Cyperus  brunneus,  Euphorbia  bux- 
ifolia and  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes,  while  scattering  clumps  of  Cakile 
fusiformis  venture  out  from  this  zone  toward  the  sea.  Two  small, 
separate  colonies  of  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  have  become  established 
at  the  wave  line  of  the  northern  point,  the  space  between  them  and  the 
Suriana  being  occupied  by  a  shrubby  form  of  Euphorbia  buxifolia 
(2455).  Toward  the  southern  extremity  of  the  eastern  wave  limit 
appear  two  detached  plants  of  Scaevola  Plumieri  and  between  them  a 
small  patch  of  Portulaca  oleracea.  The  wave  line  is  terminated  on  the 
south  by  an  extensive  growth  of  Paspalum  distichum  and  ends  with  two 
plants  of  Uniola  paniculata,  the  latter  species  also  appearing  south  of 
a  clump  of  Opuntia  Dillenii  near  the  hospital  boat  landing  on  the 
western  beach.  These  twelve  species  comprise  all  of  the  vegetation 
observed  upon  the  key. 


234  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.  II. 


^FLORIDA 


TDHTUCA*    KIYS 


MAR9UC5AS     KEYS 


Loggerhead  Key. 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.     235 


LOGGERHEAD   KEY 


MARCH  19,  1904 


Caesalpinia  crista  (2479) 
Cakile  fusiformis  (2472) 
Calonyction  album  (2483) 
Canavalia  obtusifolia  (2464) 
Capraria  biflora  (2477) 
Cordia  sebestena 
Euphorbia  buxifolia  (2475) 
Hymenocallis  caribaea 
Ipomoea  pes-caprae  (2470) 
Iva  imbricata  (2471,  2473) 


±  Melanthera  nivea  (2482) 

«?  Opuntia  Dillenii  (2476) 

P  Portulaca  oleracea  (2480) 

8  Salvia  serotina  (2481) 

D  Scaevola  Plumieri  (2469) 

Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (2468) 

F  Sporobolus  virginicus  (2474) 

tf  Suriana  maritima  (2465) 

%  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (2467) 

~  Tribulus  cistoides  (2478) 

I  Uniola  paniculata  (2466) 


This  highest  and  westernmost  key  of  the  archipelago,  and  largest 
of  the  Tortugas  group,  is  completely  reef-invested  on  its  eastern  and 
western  shores.  It  is  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  long  by  an  eighth 
of  a  mile  broad,  with  a  central  plateau  full  nine  feet  above  tide. 
Although  it  has  for  years  been  occupied  by  a  lighthouse  and  its 
attendants,  it  is  nevertheless  notably  free  of  homovectent  plants, 
Salvia,  Cordia  sebestena  and  Tribulus  being  the  only  species  present 
that  might  be  considered  to  have  been  brought  here  by  man. 

Its  central  plateau,  like  that  of  Bird  Key,  is  entirely  implanted 
with  a  pure  Suriana  group,  the  individuals  of  which  are  about  six  feet 
high.  The  vegetation  of  the  islet  presents  no  associations  whatever, 
all  its  species  being  elementally  scattered  subtropic,  maritime  "weeds.  " 
Even  the  usually  associated  Uniola  and  Euphorbia  appear  as  far  separ- 
ated as  the  limits  of  the  surface  will  allow. 

The  lighthouse  enclosure  contains  a  Papaya,  and  several  Coconut 
and  Geiger  trees,  the  walk  being  bordered  by  two  patches  of  Hymeno- 
callis. The  garden  contained  no  flower-beds  nor  vegetable  patches 
at  the  time  of  Mr.  Lansing's  visit. 


236  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.  II. 


SUMMARY 

This  reconnaissance  of  a  full  series  of  isolated  and  grouped  sub- 
tropic  sand  keys,  appears  to  prove  that  such  species  as  are  able  to 
avail  themselves  of  avevectent  and  aquavectent  transportation,  and 
can  withstand,  or  actually  need,  a  surcharged  saline  soil  and  atmos- 
phere avail  themselves,  with  more  or  less  heterogeneity  of  association, 
of  those  sands  upon  which  their  seeds  are  cast;  there  to  spread  in  just 
so  far  as  their  demands  for  nourishment  and  needful  space  will  permit. 
Ventevectant  transportation  appears  to  play  no  part  whatever  in  the 
vegetal  colonization  of  such  isolated  portions  of  land. 


DISTRIBUTIONAL    NOTES 

Agave  decipiens : 

This  species  undoubtedly  has  been  planted  qn  Marquesas  "E"  by 
the  charcoal  burners  who  once  camped  thereon.  There  are  abou*  a 
dozen  of  the  plants  together  not  far  from  the  location  occupied 
formerly  by  their  hut.*  It  was  probably  planted  there  that  it  might 
serve  in  lieu  of  soap  when  stores  of  that  detergent  failed. 
Amaranthus  viridis: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
Argemone  leiocarpa : 

This  species  is  one  of  the  forms  of  the  common  Antillean  weed 
A.  mexicana,  appearing,  like  its  frequent  companions  Bidens  leucantha, 
Sonchus  oleraceus,  and  Amaranthus  viridis,  frequently  about  the  hab- 
itations of  man.  Their  introduction  on  Garden  Key  is  doubtless  due 
to  ballast  shifting,  as  are  also  Capraria  biflora,  Euphorbia  adenoptera, 
Heliotropium  curassavicum  and  Sesbania  sericea. 
Avicennia  nitida: 

Occurs  only  in  association  with  the  mangrove  and  even  then  only 
on  the  receding,  and  drying  borders.  (On  the  south  side  of  New 
Providence,  in  the  Bahamas,  it  is,  however,  found  in  the  open  but 
shallow  sea  fully  a  hundred  yards  or  more  from  the  shore.) 


*  See  under  Rhitophora  mangle. 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA — SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      237 

Batis  maritime.: 

See  concluding  paragraph  under  this  head. 
Bidens  leucantha: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
Borrichia  arborescens: 

See  concluding  paragraph  under  this  head. 
(_  'akile  fusiformis: 

None  of  the  Antillean  species  is  better  adapted  to  dissemination 
by  water  than  this,  nor  indeed  for  ready  spreading  when  once  a  foot- 
hold is  gained.     See  page  125. 
Cacsalpinia  crista: 

Doubtless  aquavectent.     The  pods  are  excellent  pontoons  and  are 
often  found  at  sea  far  from  land. 
Canavalia  obtusifolia: 

Doubtless  aquavectent.  The  pods  are  excellent  voyagers  and  the 
seeds  retain  their  vitality  even  after  prolonged  salt  water  immersion. 
Capraria  hi  flora: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
Cenchrtis  tribul aides: 

The  fruits  of  this  grass  are  especially  adapted  for  clinging  to  the 
webbed  feet  of  marine  birds;  it  is,  on  this  account,  one  of  the  first 
species  to  be  implanted  upon  newly  formed  strands  and  islets. 
Coccolobis  uvifera: 

While  the  Sea  Grape  is  a  common  plant  on  the  rocky  keys  of 
Florida  and  the  shores  of  the  Antillean  Islands  in  general,  and  its 
appearance  on  these  sand  keys  might  be  considered  by  no  means 
extraordinary,  yet  I  am  inclined  to  judge  that  it  is  planted  on  Marque- 
sas "E"  (the  only  islet  of  the  archipelago  on  which  it  is  found). 
Coccothrinax,  jucunda : 

This  species  is  common  on  the  eastward  keys  of  Florida  and  there 
appears  no  valid  reason  why  it  may  not  have  been  implanted  naturally 
upon  Marquesas  "E."  From  the  fact  that  this  species  will  not  survive 
transplantation  it  is  certain  that  the  supposition  that  it  had  been 
brought  here  to  serve  for  future  rethatching  of  the  hut  is  erroneous. 
Conocarpus  e recta: 

See  concluding  paragraph  under  this  head. 
Cordia  sebestena: 

The  natural  implantation  of  this  species  in  both  its  localities 
(Boca  Grande  and  Loggerhead  Keys)  is  open  to  serious  doubt.  On 
account  of  the  splendor  of  its  flaming  flowers  it  has  become  a  common 


238  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 

practice  in  the  Antilles  to  plant,  or  at  least  transplant,  it  as  an  orna- 
mental  shrub.      It,  however,  readily  spreads   from    seed    after   being 
planted  and  the  upper  station  on  Loggerhead  Key,  among  the  Surianas, 
is  quite  possibly  due  to  "seeding  in." 
Cyperus  brunneus: 

This  species  is  a  quite  constant  element  of  the  Antillean  strand 
flora  from  the  Bahamian  Archipelago  through  to  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico. 
The  seeds  are  avevectent,  per  pedis  et  intestinis.     See  concluding  para- 
graph under  this  head. 
Dondia  linearis: 

See  concluding  paragraph  under  this  head. 
Euphorbia,  adenoptera: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
Euphorbia  buxi folia: 

This  is  the  commonest  herbaceous  species  of  the  Antillean  strand 
flora.  Its  communication  from  island  to  island  is  accomplished  prin- 
cipally through  the  medium  of  the  feet  of  aquatic  birds.  Once  estab- 
lished it  apparently  spreads,  not  only  by  the  catapultic  property  of  the 
fruits,  but  also  through  the  drifting  of  the  seed  with  the  shifting  sand. 
Gossypium  religiosum: 

See  remarks  under  Boca  Grande- Key. 
Heliotropium  eurassavicum: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
Hymenocallis  caribaea: 

See  remarks  under  Marquesas  "E." 
Ipomoea  pes-caprae  and  Calonyction  album: 

I  am  somewhat  in  doubt  as  to  whether  the  fruits  of  these  plants 
are  aquavectent  (a  method  of  transportation  for  which  they  are  well 
fitted)  or  whether  the  seeds  are  avevectent;  the  latter,  I  should  judge 
from  the  often  high  location  of  the  species  on  many  rocky  Antillean 
islands,  is  the  more  probable. 
Iva  imbricata: 

See  concluding  paragraph  under  this  head. 
Jacquinia  keyensis: 

This  shrub  is  of  very  common  occurrence  upon  the  eastern  keys 
of  Florida  and  the  islands  of  the  Bahamian  Archipelago.  Notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  its  growth  upon  Marquesas  "E"  is  unique,  and 
represented  by  but  two  specimens,  I  am  inclined  to  include  it  among 
the  naturally  implanted  species. 
Laguncularia  racemosa: 

This  species  is  generally  found  on  the  receding  border  of  a  man- 


FEB.   1907.     FLORA — SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      239 

grove  colony.  The  exception  is  Key  "B"  of  the  Marquesas  group, 
where  it  is  present  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  mangrove  is  en- 
tirely absent;  and  Marquesas  Keys  4<F"  and  "I,"  and  Man  and  Ballast 
Keys,  where  although  the  mangrove  colony  borders  seem  espe- 
cially suitable  to  its  growth,  the  Laguncularia  has  not  yet,  at  least, 
become  implanted. 
Opuntia  Dillenii: 

This  common  Antillean  cactus  is  one  of  the  most  readily  avevec- 
tent  species.     Its  implantation  on  Bird  and  Garden  Keys  is  therefore 
not  at  all  unnatural.     Although,  from  its  location  on  Loggerhead  Key 
the  introduction  of  the  species  might  well  be  supposed  to  be  homo- 
vectent,  yet,  as  I  have  noted  its  presence  on  other  tropic  sand  keys 
where  of  a  certainty  man  would  not  have  planted  nor  even  conveyed 
it,  I  feel  justified  in  considering  the  presence  of  the  plant  also  natural 
in  this  situation. 
Oreodoxa  regia: 

About  half  a  dozen  of  these  Royal  Palms  still  stand  on  Marquesas 
"E"  near  the  charcoal  burner's  hut*  to  which  situation  they  were  doubt- 
less transplanted  from  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Sable,  probably  by 
the  coalers  themselves.  They  served  the  camp  two  purposes:  that  of 
shade,  and  as  a  much  needed  landfall  when  returning  from  boat 
expeditions. 
Pithecolobium  guadalupense: 

The  bony  seeds  of  this  species  are  partly  invested  by  a  fleshy  aril 
attractive  to  birds  both  in  color  and  in  taste.     This  species  becomes 
quite  readily  transplanted  through  the  medium  of  the  larger  migrating 
land  birds. 
Rhizophora  mangle: 

This  species  occurs  upon  all  the  islets  between  Key  West  and  the 
Marquesas  group,  and  upon  all  the  islets  of  that  group  except  key  "B" 
where  the  shores  are  too  strongly  current-washed  to  permit  of  its 
gaining  a  roothold.  Many  of  the  smaller  keys  noted  upon  the  charts 
of  this  region  proved,  in  so  far  as  they  could  be  examined,  to  be  pure 
colonies  of  this  species  with  no  dry  land  among  the  plants.  The 
mangrove  has  not  yet  found  a  resting  place  upon  any  of  the  Tortugas. 
This  species  yields  one  of  the  best  and  hardest  of  charcoals  and  was 
at  one  time  extensively  "burned"  upon  Marquesas  "E". 


*  See  under  Rkitophora  mangle. 


'240  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  BOTANY,   VOL.   II. 

Salicornia  ambigua: 

See  concluding  paragraph  under  this  head. 
Salvia  serotina: 

While   this  species   is  a  common   Antillean  weed    yet,    from    its 
widespread   utilization  as  an  antifebrile  tea,  I  judge  that  its  presence 
in  the  dooryard  of  the  lighthouse  residence  on  Loggerhead  Key  is  due 
to  intentional  planting. 
Scaevola  Plumieri: 

The  black,  pulpy  fruits  of  this  plant  form  a  very  attractive  food 
for  land  birds;  it  thus  becomes  scattered  far  throughout  the  Antillean 
region. 
Sesbania  sericea: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
Sesuvium  portulacastruni: 

This  is  one  of    the  commonest  examples  of  aquavectant  plants  in 
this  region.      Its  large,  bladder-like  leaves  prove  excellent  pontoons 
to   float  the   light  axillary  capsules.     This  is  generally  about  the  first 
herb  to  find  anchorage  upon  newly  formed  sand  islets  and  strands. 
Sida  carpi nifolia: 

This,  with  its  companion  species,  S.  diffusa,  is  one  of  the  com- 
monest grass-plat  and  wayside  weeds  of  the  Antilles.  The  introduc- 
tion of  these  two  species  into  the  lawn  of  Fort  Jefferson  on  Garden 
Key  was  possibly  accomplished  through  sowing  grass  seed  from  Key 
West  or  South  Florida. 
Sonchus  oleraceus: 

See  note  under  Argemone  leiocarpa. 
[  Thrinax  keyensis: 

The  type  locality  for  this  species  is  Marquesas  "E, "  where  it  is 
doubtless  in  close    association  with  Coccothrinax  jucunda.      As  the 
species  have  a  similar  appearance  when  neither  in  fruit  nor  flower, 
Mr.  Lansing  only  collected  the  latter.] 
Tribulus  terrestris: 

There  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  presence  of  this  species  in  the 
dooryard  of  the  lighthouse  on  Loggerhead  Key  is  due  to  intentional 
transplantation  from  Key  West  or  Indian  Key. 


The  balance  of  the  species  in  the  Table  of  Distribution  are  com- 
mon Antillean  avevectent  plants  that  are  coming  into  the  Sand  Key 
Flora  with  more  or  less  heterogeneity,  and  will  doubtless  continue  to 
do  so  and  be  added  to  by  many  other  species  of  like  ease  of  trans- 
portation. 


in 

FEB.    1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA  —  MILLSPAUGH.      241 

SEQUENCE  OF  APPEARANCE. 

From  a  somewhat  wide  field  study  of  isolated  insular  and  strand 
formations  in  the  Antillean  region  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  order  of  precedence  in  the  clothing  of  the  wave-formed  sand  keys 
of  Florida  has  been  substantially  as  follows: 

1.  Sesuvium  portulacastrum  (Aquavectent). 

2.  Cakile  fusiformis  (Aquavectent). 

3.  Euphorbia  buxifolia  (Avevectent).* 

(  Cenchrus  tribuloides  /A 
4'   |  Cyperus  brunneus        (Avevectent).* 

5.  Uniola  paniculata  (Aquavectent). 

6.  Andropogon  glomeratus  (Avevectent).* 
(  Suriana  maritima 

7"   \  Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  (Avevectent).* 

j  Borrichia  arborescens  , . 
8"  ]  Iva  imbricata  (Avevectent).* 

9.    ,  Ambrosia  hispida  (Aquavectent). 

Of  the  mangrove-formed  strands  the  order  of   precedence,  from 
the  mangrove  nucleus  toward  the  strand,  appears  to  be: 
i.      Rhizophora  mangle  (Aquavectent). 

j  Avicennia  nitida  ,.  , 

I  Laguncularia  racemosa  ^ 

3.  Conocarpus  erecta  (Avevectent). 
(  Batis  maritima 

4.  •<  Salicornia  ambigua  (Avevectent). 
(  Dondia  linearis 

The  open  or  sea  margin  of  the  mangrove-formed  strand  vegetates 
synchronously  with  the  mangrove  border  in  the  usual  sequence  of  the 
sand  keys. 

An  interesting  comparative  map,  that  may  be  consulted  in  illus- 
tration of  these  conclusions,  is  that  of  Woman  Key,  where  we  have 
not  only  an  open  or  sea  islet  strand  on  the  eastern  part  of  the  key, 
but  also  an  isolated  mangrove  islet  on  the  western  part  still  entirely 
surrounded  by  a  Rhizophora  colony  upon  which  there  is  an  utter 
absence  of  species  depending  upon  the  sea  for  dissemination. 


*  Through  the  medium  of  the  feet  of  sea  birds. 


242 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — BOTANY,  VOL.   II. 


LIST   OF   SPECIES 

u 

> 

Woman  Key 

B.illast  Key 

Man  Key 

Boca  Grande 

MARQUESAS 

-; 

z 

~. 
1 

Sand  Key 

C.irdon  Kov 

>. 
•o 

Loggerhead  | 

"G"  -i- 

"i    -B    "C    "D    "t  "! 

i 
i 

z 
z 

z 

z 

i 
i 

i 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 
I 

I 

I 
1 

I 

i 
I 

I 
I 

i 

i 
I 

i 
I 

i 
I 

i 
i 
i 

i 
i 

i 
i 

I 

Ambrosia  hispida  

Andropogun  glomeratus  

z 

Atriplex  cristata  

Batis  maritima  

i 
i 

i 

i 

i 

i 
i 
i 

i 

i 
i 
z 

z 
•z 

z 

I 

z 
I 

z 

I 
z 

z. 

z 
z 

.z 
z 

z 

I 

z 
I 

1 
I 

z 

I 

•z 

z 
z 

I 

z 

z 
I 

I 

I 

I 

i 

i 
i 

i 

z 
z 

I 
I 

1 
I 
I 

I 

1 
1 

I 

I 
I 

I 

I 

i 

i 
i 
"z 

z 

z 
z 
z 

I 
z 
I 

I 
I 

I 

I 
I 

Boerhaavia  viscosa 
Borrichia  arborescens  
Bradburya  virgin  ana  

i 
i 
i 

i 

i 
i 

i 
i 

i 

i 
i 

i 

z  • 

z 
I 

I 

I 
I 

z 

z 
I 

I 

I 

I 

1 

z 
z 

I 

I 
I 

I 

I 
I 

I 

I 
I 

I 
I 

z 
I 

I 
I 

I 

I 
I 
I 

I 

I 

I 

I 
I 

I 

I 

I 

Bumelia  micropbylla  

Caesalpinia  crista     .   . 

Cakile  fusiformis  

Canavalia-  obtusifo  a  

Capraria  birlora  

Cenchrus  echinatus  

Coccolobis  uvifera  

Coccothrinax  jucunda  

Conocarpus  erecta  

Cordia  sebestena  

Cyperus  brunneus  

Diapedi  um  assurgens  

Distichlis  maritima  

Dondia  linearis  

Erithalis  fruticosa  

Ernodea  littoral  is      

Euphorbia  adenoptera  

Garberi 

I 
I 
I 

I 
I 

i 

I 
I 

I 
I 

i 

bavanensis  

heterophylla  

trichotonia  

Eustachys  petraea  

Flaveria  linearis        .  .      .  . 

Galactia  spiciformis  

Gossypium  religiosum  

Heliotropium  curassavicum  
Hymenocallis  caribaea  

Ipomoea  pes-capras  

Jacquinia  keyensis  

I 

1 
i 

i 
i 

i 
i 

i 

i 

i 

i 

i 

i 

i 

i 

i 

Lan  tana  i  nvoluc  rata  

I 
I 

I 

I 
I 

I 
I 

i 

I 

i 

i 
i 

z 

1 
I 

I 
z- 

z 

z 
z 

I 

z' 

I 
z 

I 

I 

I 

Litbophila  vermicularis  . 

Maytenus  phyllantboides  

Melanthera  nivea  

Metastelma  bahamense  

Monanthochloe  littoral  is  

Opuntia  Dillenii            

Oreodoxa  regia  

Panicum  maximum  

Paspalum  distichuni  

PassiHora  minima  

Pectis  Lessingii  

Pharbitis  cathartica  

Phaseolus  paucirlorus  .  .  .  . 

Pithecolobium  guadalupense... 
Portulaca  oleracea  

Rivina  humilis  laevis  

z 

I 
z 

I 

I 

Salicornia  ambigua  

Salvia  serotina  

Scaevola  Plumieri  

Sesbania  sericea  

FEB.   1907.     FLORA  —  SAND  KEYS  OF  FLORIDA — MILLSPAUGH.       243 


LIST  OF  SPECIES 

u 

It 

Woman  Key 

f 

u 

= 

£ 

Boca  Grande 

MARQUESAS 

East  Key 

Sand  Key 

"i 

a 
. 
— 

a 

a 

Bird  Key 

Loggerhead  | 

a 

*"* 

«C    «D    T    r   "G    1    'T 

1 

I 

I 
I 

I 

1 
I 

I 

I 

X 

I 

I 
I 

i 

i 

i 

i 
i 

i 

i 

i 
i 
i 

i 

I 

1 
I 

I 

i 
i 

i 

i 

i 

i 
i 

I 

I 
X. 
I 
X 

i 
i 

X 
X 

i 

X 
X 

virginicus  

Syntherisma  fimbriatum  .   .   . 

X 

X 

I 

I 
I 
I 

I 

X 

I 

Tournefortia  gnaphalodes  

Valerianodes  jamaicensis  ...   .  . 

INDEX. 


Ballast  Key    201. 
Bird  Key    233. 
Boca  Grande  Key     203. 
Conch  Key    193,  205. 
Cottrell  Key    193. 
Crawfish  Keys    193. 
East  Key    22;. 
Fort  Jefferson    229. 
Garden  Key    229. 
Hospital  Key    227. 


KeyC    195. 
Loggerhead  Key    235, 
Long  Key    193,  225. 
Man  Key    197. 
Marquesas  Group    20;. 

"A"    207. 

"B"    209. 

"C"      211. 

"D"  213. 
"E"  215 
"F"  217. 


Marquesas  "G"    219. 

"H"    221. 

"  I  "    223. 

Middle  Key    193,  22; 
Mule  Key    193. 
Mullet  Key    193. 
Round  Island    205,  221. 
Sand  Key    227. 
Tortugas  Group    22$. 
Woman  Key    199. 


245 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


